Holy Hieromartyr Hippolytus, Pope of Rome, and Those Martyred with Him: Censorinus, Sabinus, the Virgin Chryse and Twenty Other Martyrs (III)

The holy Hieromartyr Hippolytus, Pope of Rome, Censorinus, Sabinus, the virgin Chryse and twenty other martyrs suffered in the third century.

Saint Censorinus was the closest courtier of the Roman Emperor Claudius II (268–270). He was seized for confessing Christ and shut up in prison, where by the power of his prayer he raised a dead man to life. Twenty soldiers of the prison guard who witnessed this miracle believed in the true God. For this they were beheaded together with Censorinus. At the same time the virgin Chryse was brought for questioning, and she courageously confessed Christ. She was savagely tortured, and then drowned in the sea.

Saint Sabinus was struck with a heavy hammer, then hung on a tree and a fire was lit beneath him. The holy martyr committed his soul to the Lord in torment.

Together with Saint Chryse there suffered Felix, Maximus, Herculianus, Venerius, Styracius, Menas, Commodus, Hermes, Maurus, Eusebius, Rusticus, Monagrius, Amandinus, Olympius, Cyprus, Theodore the tribune, Maximus the presbyter, Archelaus the deacon and Quirinus the bishop.

When Saint Hippolytus learned of the martyrs’ sufferings, he presented himself before the tribunal, called the tormentor a bloodsucker and denounced his godlessness; the enraged judge had the aged hierarch cruelly tortured. At last he had him thrown into the sea bound hand and foot. This happened in 268.